I just wanted to share my one year story with you
guys. I am coming up on my one year anniversary of
eating 100% high fruit/low fat raw without any slip
ups! I was about 80% raw for a year prior to that.
I am so proud of myself. I would never have
imagined a few years ago that I could do something
like this. I am so glad that I got as sick as I did so
that I can have the opportunity to feel how we are
really meant to feel!

My body has healed from fibromyalgia (extreme pain), chronic fatigue, IBS, hormonal imbalances, PMS, chronic bladder infections, yeast infections, dandruff, a suspicious looking skin growth (cancer?), depression, panic attacks and probably a few more things that I am forgetting. I was really falling apart after 36 years of eating a junk food vegan version of the SAD.

The changes that I've noticed are: much more energy,
more motivatation and enthusiasm for life, much better
moods, a deeper sense of spirituality, a greater
appreciation for nature and colors, more sensitivity
to chemicals, a greater appreciation of simple
flavors, dandruff has gone away, painful swollen
breasts every month around my period have gone away,
excessive underarm persperation has gone away, bad
breath and body odor has gone away, I've lost 60lbs
efffortlessly, I have no more pain from fibromyalgia
(unless I eat something less than ideal--even if it's
raw--something dehydrated for example), clearer, more
vibrant skin and eyes, whiter teeth. I feel very
optimistic about my future and actually look forward
to every day, which is new to me! :-)

I have noticed that you must keep making improvements
to your diet if you want to keep feeling great, or at
least my body has demanded it. It only wants the
best!! This is hard to accept sometimes when I
occasionaly want to eat less than ideal food (a complicated, badly combined recipe for example), but it's not that hard when you work on the emotional issues that are driving you to eat.

I want to encourage everyone to do this!!! The rewards
are so great and I promise you that if I can do it,
anyone can. As a former compulsive eater and self
acknowleded junk food addict, I am living proof that
anyone can change if you are motivated enough!! :-)

im also a comulsive overeater, have chronic fatigue and hormonal imbalances,pms, yeasties and depression... i say 'have' losely though cos im 2 years into pusuing raw. i did have a long relapse over most of last year though.

im noticing some of the effects you mention in the positives and theyre very encouraging..

thanks so much for being so specific and honest. i really apreciate it!

Fantastic. You did great!
I am just starting. I don't know quite how to begin. I am a breast cancer survivor, and I need to change my life. Starting with food. I just don't know how to start. Any info would greatly be appreciated.

for inspiration I would suggest a google search for "raw food before after" - you'll get a list of sites with before & after pics of raw foodists and their stories (I'm a sucker for before & after pics, ha).

Then search amazon.com for raw food books and pick one that appeals to you. Despite my years and years of avid interest in nutrition, as well as going to school for biochemistry, I could not have done this diet without a book. So much of it is the opposite of what we are taught, that it really helps to read a book to get the whole philosophy.

Good luck, and I love your statement: "I need to change my life. Starting with food." That's funny- so true, I've found. When the diet is good, everything else seems to fall in place.

It's a lot easier than it seems. I asked myself the very same question just a month ago, but I decided to just give it a try. What I've realized is, that you don't have to get all elaborate about it and try to prepare all these recipes. I only do that if I'm craving something really badly (which has already gotten less often since I cut back on sugar!) and mostly on the weekends.

Just replace breakfast with fruit, try a fruit salad. Or just grab some fruit if you usually eat breakfast on the go, some apples, an orange, banana, etc.

Take some "fast fruit"(apples, bananas, pears, peaches, etc.) or raw nuts& dried fruit or some sprouted seeds or beans/legumes to snack on at work, or for lunch. (They have sprouted seeds & beans at Whole Foods Markets if you live near one.)

I usually try and have a salad or get more elaborate for dinner.

Basically, just do it!
If you can't help but eat something cooked one day, don't feel too bad about it, just try again the next day. The more you do it, the easier it gets

I was so excited to read your story! I have Fibro too, which (besides the common sense factor/my interest in whole foods) is the main reason I decided to dive into being Raw.

It's only been a few weeks so far, and only 100% for one of them (though high for the rest) so I'm wondering what to expect? How long until you saw some real progress?

Also, did you have brain fog? And if so, how did going raw affect that?That's my biggest issue right now...

One more question, what type of Raw diet do you follow? I read Shelly's story, and I know she's into the Natural Hygiene Diet. I keep trying to decide if I should cut out the fats for a month like she did on her first month, to detox faster, or if I should stick w/some fat. (I need to get better ASAP to keep working, on the other hand, if I detox too fast I'm afraid I won't be of much use either!)

FANTASTIC I am happy for you. I also suffer from numerous years of a junk food diet and I am also trying to improve my diet. I was having some of the same problems and I incorporated ESSAICS TEA to my daily routine and I solved my sleeping [insomnia ] problem in a 4 days. It also cleared up my sinus problem and bronchitis within two weeks. I will continue taking it for protection and prevention. Send email and I will tell you where I purchased it, to get the best price and quality. Hereami

I follow a very simple, high fruit, low fat diet and adhere to Natural Hygiene principles as much as I can.

As far as book recommendations I recommend anything that Dave Klein sells at www.livingnutrition.com. I highly recommend subscribing to his magazine. I also recommend Dr. Doug Graham's new book 80/10/10.

I have been off an on with raw for 5 years now. The first time I tried it I loved it and stuck with raw for 9 months. I recently went back to 100% raw because the food is just so damn good and the results it has on my overall being is priceless.

I have fibroids and would like to know if anyone out there has tried vitalzym. From what I read it suppose to shrink fibroids. Please give me feedback. I would appreciate it.

I have been off an on with raw for 5 years now. The first time I tried it I loved it and stuck with raw for 9 months. I recently went back to 100% raw because the food is just so damn good and the results it has on my overall being is priceless.

I have fibroids and would like to know if anyone out there has tried vitalzym. From what I read it suppose to shrink fibroids. Please give me feedback. I would appreciate it.

Audrey, may I use the text from here (your post only) to put in myspace blog? I have several articles in there concerning FMS successes using Fruitarian diet and I would really love to put this information in too. Thanks. Love Peggy

Thank you for shring your story, you are an awesome woman to have achieved so much :-).
I am currently transitioning to 100% raw vegan, by starting with 100 day raw, so far i am feeling great and more motivated.

I am 38 years old - in a year I hope to say that I am 39 years young. I have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia and some other lesser complaints, but the fatigue is so miserable now that I am not only finally ready to give up my favorite cooked foods, but I am GLADLY giving them up. Doctors and conventional medicine have been nothing short of a massive disappointment. I am taking back control of my life by choosing to put only raw, living foods in my mouth. I'm 3 days into 95% raw, and I hope to write a testimonial like yours someday soon.